Triggered by a revamped PC strategy, strategic vertical plays and a push into premium devices, it’s a story well documented for the nimbler, more focused HP.

“We’ve had great times, we’ve had challenging times but fundamentally what has stood the test of time is a great reach of channel partners with capabilities wrapped around innovation and making sure it’s customer-centric and forward looking,” added Mesaros, in a direct hat tip to local partners.

“We can’t predict the future, but we can understand mega trends – global social, economic, demographic or technological forces – that can help us to pave the way,” he said.

Specifically, HP is honing in on four mega trends in 2017 and beyond.

In a direct reference to rapid urbanisation, with more people moving into cities, the ripple effect will be an addition of 1.8 billion new consumers in the world economy, 95 per cent of those in emerging markets.

According to Bolwell, this will result in a bigger shift towards services and new business models.

Secondly, the changing demographics of the world show an ageing population and a new generation of millennial consuming technology in different ways. For Bolwell, both will impact the workplace in equal measure.

As a result of hyper globalisation, Bolwell said the industry is seeing a rise in the number of companies that are changing the basis of competition, such as Uber.

To stay ahead, Bolwell advised partners to zone in on local markets and its requirements, in addition to creating collaborative strategies across boundaries.

Citing the growth of hyper-mobility, the Internet of Things, smart machines, and 3D transformation, Bolwell added that accelerated innovation in the market will change the future demands of the customer, and the emerging opportunities for the channel as a consequence.

“At HP, we’re using mega trends to identify future research areas for our labs, understanding which start-ups to invest in, and how to improve our products and services so that we can meet the needs of our partners and end-users in the future,” Bolwell said.

As a first step, Bolwell advised organisations to have “an open mind” when it comes to technology and innovation.

“You have to disrupt yourself before someone else does,” he added. “At HP, we want to see how we can [work with partners and end-users] to create the most compelling future possible.”

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Slideshows

Opening ice breaker sessions set the scene for EDGE 2017

​EDGE 2017 kicked off with an opening ice breaker session, providing a structured environment for channel executives to form and foster new relationships and business opportunities. Photos by Maria Stefina.​

ARN returns to Melbourne for second running of After Hours

Partners, vendors and distributors came together for the second running of After Hours in Melbourne, designed to further unite the Australian channel through a series of invite-only social events in Victoria. Photos by Raymond Korn.​

A bumper crowd of partners turned out in force for Synnex Alliance 2017 in Melbourne, uncovering the key channel strategies required to deliver on the potential of digital transformation in Australia. An evening of keynote speakers, panel discussions and technology exhibitions assessed the opportunities and challenges of digital at Melbourne Olympic Park, with Sydney next up on August 16. Photos by Raymond Korn.

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